1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle wheel module, and more specifically, to a wheel module including a wheel hub and wheel bearing.
2. Description of Related Art
Motor vehicles typically include driven wheels mounted on a wheel carrier. The wheel carrier normally connected to the vehicle body by a plurality of links, for example longitudinal and transverse links. More precisely, a wheel hub normally mounted on the wheel carrier using rolling bearings. A brake disk and the wheel rim may also be mounted on the wheel hub. A drive shaft, coupled to the engine through a transmission drives the wheel.
Torque transmission from the drive shaft to the wheel hub is normally done through serrations; i.e., the wheel hub has an axial bore, around the inside of which serrations, in other words a toothed ring of axially extending teeth, are formed. On the outside, the drive shaft has a corresponding encircling toothed ring. The drive shaft is arranged in the bore such that the two toothed rings engage one another. A thread is normally formed on the drive shaft at an end arranged toward the outside of the vehicle. A nut threadably engages the threaded end of the drive shaft, clamps the wheel clamped axially against the drive shaft. The wheel hub instead of supported directly on the drive shaft, the wheel hub may be supported through one or two inner races of the rolling bearing. The inner race or races of the rolling bearing is/are clamped between the wheel hub and the drive shaft, which may include a flange portion for this purpose.
The wheel bearing can be a “first-generation” (GEN1) wheel bearing, for example, one wherein two rows of rolling bearings are generally arranged between two inner races and one outer race. Here the structure of the races is roughly that of a cylindrical shell, wherein the side facing the rolling elements is, in each case, designed to accommodate the elements. The wheel bearing forms a combined subassembly, which is put in into the wheel carrier and mounted on the wheel hub. With “second-generation” (GEN2) wheel bearings, the wheel hub is, to a certain extent, of integral design with an inner race; i.e., the inner race has a flange on which the brake disk and the rim are mounted. With “third-generation” (GEN3) wheel bearings, the outer race additionally has a flange, the flange secured on the wheel carrier by means of screwed joints.